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China expands surveillance of sewage to police illegal drug use

Privacy concerns and cultural differences make some researchers sceptical that the method could work in other countries.
  1. David Cyranoski

    1. David Cyranoski reports for Nature from Shanghai, China.

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Dozens of cities across China are applying an unusual forensic technique to monitor illegal drug use: chemically analysing sewage for traces of drugs, or their telltale metabolites, excreted in urine.

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Nature 559, 310-311 (2018)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-05728-3

References

  1. Baz-Lomba, J. A. et al. BMC Public Health 16, 1035 (2016).

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